"Inception"

“Inception” features Leonardo DiCaprio – a young man who has evolved into a powerhouse actor; his screen presence, subtle yet firm.

I can’t say enough about him - he fills the story with an uncanny passion, as he has done in all of his work. I’m not sure anyone can learn this; it’s simply a gift, though surely honed with practice and discipline, as all gifts are.

To make a long story short, I loved it.

It pulled me into its complicated plot, such that, as it ended, I had completely forgotten where they were, as if I had been pulled into one of the dreams levels, too.

But unlike “Shutter Island,” which was equally well-done and technically without flaw, I didn’t feel deceived with “Inception.”

I don’t like it when a director, or an author, hoodwinks me – there’s no skill to that. I can tell you to meet me for lunch at noon on the 23^rd, and when I don’t show up, oh well, too bad. That’s deception.

But to do what Christopher Nolan (writer and director) does with “Inception” requires an enormous amount of skill, and it left with me sheer delight as having been so powerfully entertained.

From the get-go, no one in the audience knows where or what. But as the story unfolds, with some of the finest music (Hans Zimmer) I’ve heard in a long time, the audience is brought on board, though with plenty of twists and turns to keep everyone guessing.

I found myself fully engaged with the characters, all powerfully and singularly well done, each bringing to the screen their unique gifts.

For a full listing of the cast, stop by the IMBD web page for “Inception.”

Special effects are superbly balanced for the story, as well as the action, of which there is plenty, but all properly fitted into the plot.

The storyline is utterly intriguing – is it possible to get into someone’s dreams, not only to learn their deepest secrets, but to plant an idea – an inception – so carefully that upon waking, they will believe the idea to be their own?

The background to the story is corporate espionage, with a giant payoff for Cobb (DiCaprio) who’s been on the run from the States, accused of murdering his wife. If he can pull off this job, his employer will make a phone call and clear his record.

As grimy as all of this is, it’s only background – the heart of the movie is the dream-world into which all of this plays out, with all kinds of subplots around Cobb himself and his deceased wife, who keeps showing up in the dreams.

It’s all very complicated. So, if you go, and I hope you do, be prepared for a lot of uncertainty, especially in the first 20 minutes or so. But hang on. It all falls into place, and ends with a moment that leaves the audience wondering.

Is he home, finally? Or is it still a dream?

A movie to see in the theaters? For sure.